NVR2L8

OK, guys. I need some help here.

I would like to know who you think are the best sponsors of HPDE and/or track day events.

I ran my first two events this year, both at Putnam Park, IN. One was sponsored by the National Corvette Museum (NCM), and one was sponsored by 10/10ths Motorsports. They both did a great job and I had a blast.

Next year, I will go to some 10/10ths events, and the one NCM event at Virginia International (VIR). But I also want to go to some other tracks, including Bluegrass, Road Atlanta and Autobahn.

So, which sponsors do you like the best? My main criteria is track time, small run groups, safety, event organization, amenities, and overall value.

So far, I have checked out (in addition to 10/10ths and NCM):

1. SCCA
2. NASA
3. Chin Motorsports
4. PCA

So, who are your favorites, and why? Also, who else should I look into?

Thanks in advance for your help?

SDF

I have run several events with MVP Track Time. Mark puts on a quality event and he has two events at Autobahn next summer. I too have run with 10 / 10ths and was also happy with Bills events. Hope that helps!

RogueVette

At 10/10ths we have events at Bluegrass so that should solve that.

The SCCA has limited DE's and I'm not impressed. NASA's are good and fairly well organized but lack a lot of track time at least here in the midwest/Great lakes region. Sessions end up being about 15 minutes.

PCA is good if you can handle the attitudes that seem very previlent especially at Autobahn. Maybe the Mid-Atlantic P car guys are better.

Chin is expensive but good amount of track time.

There are some very good marque events that often have openings, that are usually a bit relaxed.

Kanmer

Audi puts on a good event. TrackDaze as well. You might also enjoy MazdaDrivers. Chin is the one that gives you the most track time.

Bob

Gatorac

Chin is very well run and you get a ton of track time.

sothpaw2

I had an ok experience with Audi but they pick off season times of year (April & mid Nov) so the weather is a bit dicy. Plus they will have less Corvette instructors.

TrackDaze gave us slightly more track time for the same price as Audi. The clientel was mature enough that in the intermediate group everyone respected one another and there were no accidents.

I liked PCA the best although the instruction was very much a hit & miss proposition. I wouldn't pick them if you need good instruction. But the track time for the price is impossible to beat & the safety/level-headedness of the other drivers was almost as good as NCM or Audi (best, most conservative...safest).

NASA I haven't experienced but I would be leary of going in the intermediate group there. The more real race cars you see as opposed to street sports cars, the more likely I feel that someone will have an equipment failure & blow oil or antifreeze all over the track.

Chin I have heard is only long after you are solo and a little more risky then the other groups.

Kanmer

Audi Potomac Chapter only picks those times at VIR. Audi Ohio Chapter runs Mid Ohio in July. We are also running with them at Daytona this month. As for Corvette instructors, there were quite a few up on the hill a couple weeks ago.

I have run at least 5 events with NASA this year. There are very few "race cars" in the intermediate group. It is a well run and safe event. There are a lot of cars on the track and passing is done with the car being passed choosing the side to be passed on rather than designated sides. I feel you learn more this way. Traffic management, situational awareness, looking up, etc... The only down side is track time. You usually get 3 25 min sessions a day. as for equipment failures, I have seen a street car with less that 15K miles blow a radiator hose. Stuff happens.

Find a group or two that you enjoy. Some people won't run with Chin but will run with NASA and vise versa. Try them all and fins a few that fit your criteria. Personally I probably won't run Mazda anymore for personal reasons. Thats my choice.

Bob

AU N EGL

PCA events are generally good but do very between clubs. I like Carolina PCA and BlueRidge PCA, Florida Crown PCA I have also run with Zone II PCA, and a NJ PCA

TarHeel Sports Car club here in North Carolina does very good events. And their co-partner club Asphalt Adventures as well.

BMW has events too. I find TarHeel BMW and Mazda Drivers events to be pack with cars on some tracks, like VIR.

You will find that most of the instructors for one club will also teach at other clubs as well.

Some tracks sell out quickly and some smaller tracks dont sell out so you get more track time.

There are so many events you could do one a weekend every month from Feb to Dec.

JDIllon

Chin does a great job with lots of track time. Also check on Hooked On Driving it is a new franchise that is starting up around the country. The one in FL./Ga. is run and owned by Henry Gilbert, and is very well run. You get 5-25 minute sessons per day and lunch. With three run groups and instruction is at no extra charge. NASA also runs good events, but the track time can be short depending on mishaps. JD

Bill Dearborn

Most of them are pretty good. BMW club events are well run and have excellent instructors. At Watkins Glen their events typically have in excess of hundred students with each student getting an instructor. Even with that number of students everybody gets plenty of track time.

There are many different groups conducting HPDEs over the year. Prices vary considerably between the groups but each offers different features that may interest you. You do not need to stick with a Nationally known group to have a great experience.

Bill

C5 XTC

Have to get in a plug that NCM does a very nice job on their events. I believe the biggest bang for the buck, including the availability of excellent instructors, is Track Daze and Tarheel Sports Car Club. My last Track Daze event at VIR (full) had eight 30 minute sessions and I put 260 track miles on my car in the intermediate group. I know I will be attending events sponsored by both these groups in 2009. A reasonable number of corvettes register with both these group but also a nice mix of other cars (Mustangs, Audi, BMW, etc). Generally a mature group of drivers.
C5 XTC

LS3FORME

I am a pca instructor in South Florida and I have run with Safemotorsports, Very Good, and lot of track time. Nasa is good but the race and TT take alot of the days time and you sometime get some young drivers whom are not as level headed on the track. Hooked on Driving new group, ran with last month excellant and a lot of track time. PCA is well run and depending on run group some very fast drivers. I would say most are great you have to be your own judge of your skill and ability and play it safe. I find the advanced and instructor run groups to be faster but safer as you will find as you go up the classess it is the amount of tracktime and ability to deal with almost anything that is thrown at you that counts. example. I did a night event a BMW puked oil on the track at Palm Beach, I went into a turn could not see the oil, ( at my normal entry speed ) and starting sliding WTF. I new something had changed, either car or track. I delt with it but to someone with less track experience it could of been real bad. I think it HPDEs are great fun and the people are usually great I learn form every event I attend. I do think a full on 3 day race school can not be beat for getting you to the point where you are competent in you skill set to where it is normal behavior. The PCA instructor group is usually the best taught ( biased) there school is the oldest and most copied. Hence there instructors are usually the best prepared. I did the course 20 -30 people attend and maybe 8 or 10 pass,voted upon by other instructors. Good luck and get some seat time.

beerkat

The best HPDE events are the one with you friends. During the course of the day you spend a hour or so on track and the rest of the time in the paddock. It great to have friends there to hang with.

NoOne

Well me of course

We've run our events for six years now and always get good comments, tons of track time, lunch, and a over all great group.

What Beerkat says is true though. The vast majority of our participants have run with the same group upto 20 times so there is good friendship throughout the group.

Thats what helps new people come too since everyone is so laid back and responsible.

Feffman

No One, I love the humility!! I'm partial, of course, but I prefer MVP Track Time (www.MVPTrackTime.com).

Feff

AU N EGL

WNeal

I must chime in with 10/10ths

In all seriousness, I have run with most of the above groups and they all do a great job, including 10/10ths. I will be at VIR this w/e with CHIN.

The best part for me is the friendships I have made and the thrill of learning to drive a high performance car the way it was meant to be.
It has become a passion for me and I hope to allow many folks the same opportunity.

Don't forget our troops during this Christmas Season. They are the reason we can go out and do what we do.

Bill

NVR2L8

I can't decide if you are humble or not!

First, you say that you run the best event, "of course".

Then, you don't identify which event you sponsor!

So, am I supposed to guess? Please, come out of the shadows and identify yourself!!!

Z06_505

Plus when Bill isn't spending all his free time promoting driving events, he is busy fighting fires and saving lives. Check it out.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/off-...ieutenant.html

NoOne

I was just joking around with that comment...

We run our own event...no name, no company, just us up at Grattan Raceway in Michigan.

It started out as just some people from Chrysler where I worked but grew into something much larger.

We run 8 20 minute sessions and have instructors available for both one on one and group instruction. All of our instructors are professionals. All of them work in vehicle dynamics and some are semi-pro drivers. We have had people from the SRT, SVT, and the performance group at GM.

One of the only good things about Michigan is that you can drive with the people who designed the car your running.

If they are still employed we plan on having them back next year.

We also provide lunch and even though its broken down into 8 20 minute sessions by 2pm people are leaving so once we get down to 15 cars its open track. We run 45 total vehicles, 15 per group.

$165 for the day which for the group size, quality of instructor, and track time is a steal. Grattan doesn't have the prettiest facilities but its a blast to drive and very unique.